Ted Cruz says PLO a ‘terrorist organization’

WASHINGTON — The Palestine Liberation Organization on Thursday criticized
Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz over a Senate hearing he oversaw on Palestinian and Iranian terrorism that it called “biased and inflammatory.”

In an unusual and harsh statement issued Thursday, the PLO said the Judiciary
subcommittee hearing provided no Palestinian viewpoint and conflated all Palestinians with terrorists. The PLO expressed alarm at what it said was a growing trend in the United States to
dehumanize Palestinians.

In response, Cruz said, “It is not surprising a terrorist organization like the PLO is upset with the truths that were told at our
hearing yesterday.”

Cruz oversaw the Wednesday hearing titled, “Justice Forsaken: How the Federal Government Fails the American Victims of Iranian and
Palestinian Terrorism,” in which several public witnesses described acts of violence and complained about the Obama administration, arguing that its Justice Department has failed to prosecute
terrorists who have killed and injured Americans.

Cruz, the first-term senator from Texas, opened the hearing with a vivid description of a Palestinian suicide bomber attack on a
Jerusalem street several years ago that killed and injured men, women and children.

Cruz spoke of “Americans who have suffered greatly because of the horrific actions of Iranian and Palestinian terrorists” and the
recent surge of Palestinian terrorist attacks in Israel.

“As bad as Palestinian terrorism has been, the Iranian government has more American blood on its hands,” said Cruz, who reiterated his
opposition to the recent international deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

Among those who testified at the hearing was Kenneth J. Stethem, whose brother, Robert, was killed by Hezbollah terrorists during the
1985 hijacking of TWA Flight 847.

“There has been no administration to date that has supported Iran and the Palestinian terrorist organizations more than the Obama
administration,” Stethem said in his prepared testimony.

Kent A. Yalowitz, an attorney, said he represented 11 American families who were victims of individuals working at the behest of the
Palestinian Authority and the PLO.

“Far from disowning these terrorists, the PA and PLO have kept them on the payroll and promoted them,” Yalowitz said in his prepared
testimony.

The PLO said the hearing failed to mention “recent acts of Israeli incitement,” including killings and collective punishment of the
Palestinian people.

“If there is a party to be condemned for their actions, it is Israel, which continues to defy international law with impunity because
of the blind support it receives from people like Senator Cruz and other senators,” the organization said. “It is time for Israel apologists on the Hill to put US national interests ahead of those of
the current extreme right-wing government in Israel.”